The US climate change bill will not pass this year according to Carol Browner, the Director of the White Office of Energy and Climate Change Policy.

While some experts have predicted that the Senate had too much on its plate at this time to take up the Kerry-Boxer cap & trade bill, Ms Browner’s statement on Friday was the first time anyone in the Obama administration officially admitted that a bill would not pass this year.

The lack of any firm U.S. legislation will be a blow to reaching any meaningful agreement by those in the international community gathering for the climate change summit in Copenhagen in December.

The U.N chief Ban Ki-moon is concerned and was quoted by Reuters on Saturday as saying that “[t]here are just 10 negotiating days left until we come to Copenhagen,” referring to the number of days set for negotiation in the Bangkok and Barcelona meetings prior to Copenhagen meeting.
Further reading:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/oct/04/us-climate-change-bill-browner

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=aGdfSKP7zbfI

Photo: Little Mermaid, Copenhagen http://www.flickr.com/photos/lyng883/338161534/

Copyright 2009 - K.J.Collins